Hopper dredger and barge.



WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN.

HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1915- -1,187,250.Patented June 13, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 'NVENTORS! WILL/AM BROWN WALTER BROWN.

ATTORNEY.

THE coumsu PLANOugAPH co" WASHINGTON, D. c.

WILLIAM BROWN & WALTER BROWN. HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-4. 1915.

1 187,250. Patented June 13, 1916.

9 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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a i; 4 4 14 as ii fiG- WILLIAM B ow/v WALTE R BROWN ATToRNE m2 commaPLApwuRAPx-l' co.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

WILLIAM BROWN AND VIALTER BROWN, OF RENFREW', SCOTLAND.

HOPPER DREDGER AND BARGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 13, 1916.

Application filed December 4, 1915. Serial No. 65,081.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM BROWN and WALTERBRowN, subjects of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain andIreland, and residents'of Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Hopper Dredgers and Barges, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hopper dredgers and hopperbarges and the like and is applicable to suction hopper dredgers as wellas hopper dredgers of the bucket type or combined bucket and suctiondredgers.

The invention consists primarily in the provision of a valve seated onthe hopper bottom and comprising a valve member adapted to controlcommunication between the hopper and a conduit or conduits (pipe orhollow keelson) leading to a pump and a valve member normallycontrolling communication with the sea and adapted when open to permitthe discharge of the contents of the hopper direct into the sea.

It is understood of course that in the case of a vessel fitted with anumber of hoppers any one valve member controlling communication withthe sea (or more than one such valve member) may be open at any timewhether or not communication is established between one or more of theremaining hoppers and the conduit or conduits so that water may bepumped from the sea through the conduit or conduits for flushingpurposes.

A further feature resides in the particular mounting of the valves whichpermits the valve parts to be readily removed for examination, repair,etc.

A further feature is the provision of means for loosening the mass atthe bottom of the hopper to permit the valve to be readily lifted andfacilitate the initial stage of the discharge.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan showing the arrangementof hoppers, valves, etc; Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections showingalternative forms of conduit and controlling valves.

Referring to the drawings, the dredging vessel or barge 1 or the like isfitted with a conduit or conduits (suction pipe 2 or hollow keelsons 2)preferably disposed longitudinally of the vessel or barge or the likeand connected to the pump 3, said'pipe 0r keelson being adapted to beplaced in c0mmunication with the hoppers 4 which are disposed'inadjoining rows one on each side of thecenter line of'the vessel or bargeor the like and inclosed between water-tight compartments 5 (it beingunderstood, however, that the arrangement of the hoppers and of thesuction pipe or keelson may be other than herein shown by way ofexample). Each hopper 4 is provided with an outlet affording a valveseat 6 cotiperating with which is a double valve comprising an uppervalve member 7 controlling communication between the hopper 4 and theconduit 2 (by way of the connection 8) and a lower valve member 9 which,when moved from itsseat, permits discharge of the contents of the hopperinto the sea.

The upper valve member 7 may be of the form shown in Fig. 3 or of thetrunk form shown at the left hand side of Fig. 4. The valves arepreferably operated by means of duplex hydraulic rams as shown: the.ram10 serving to lift the valve member 7 and the ram 11 serving to lift thevalve member 9-it' being understood that when the valve member 9 islifted the valve member 7 may be lifted therewith. The valve stem 7 ofthe valve member 7, being hollow, serves as a conduit for pressure waterwhich may be discharged through ducts such as 12 or through a series oforifices such as 13 as indicated in Fig. 3, the object of such dischargebeing to loosen the material at the bottom of the hopper.

It will be appreciated that on removalof the stay 14 the valves may beconveniently lifted out for repair or other purposes with out thenecessity for dry-docking the vessel. It will also be seen that with theconstruction described there will be no projection from the bottom ofthe vessel when the contents of the hoppers are being discharged.

While we have shown a preferred arrangement in which the valves arevertically movable by operation of hydraulic rams it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited to the arrangement shown. 7

What we claim is 1. In combination, a vessel provided with a hoppercapable of being put in communication with the sea, a suction pump, aconduit leading to said pump, and a double valve for said hopper, saiddouble valve comprising a member adapted tc control communicationbetween said hopper and said conduit, and a member adapted to controlcom munication between said hopper and the sea.

2. In combination, a vessel provided With a hopper capable of being putin communication .with the sea, a suction pump, a conduit leading tosaid pump, a valve for said hcpper comprising separate valve members,and means for operating said for the the va, separately and conjointly,and controlling communication between hopper and said conduit, andbetv-Jeen hopper and the sea.

in testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

l/VM. BROVJN. WALTER BROWN. lVitnesses lVALLAcE CnANsToN FAIRWEATHER,DOUGLAS KEITH FAIRWEATHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained i'ez five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G.

